Deepthi Welaratna is a writer, musician, and creative director working at the intersection of media, culture, and design — with social impact and entrepreneurship thrown in for good measure. With over 25 years of experience, she specializes in translating complex ideas into successful businesses, clear strategies, and resonant public-facing work.

She has been building and launching new campaigns, products and services at venture-backed startups, creative agencies, and market research firms. She worked on startup teams in the early days of podcasting and online food delivery, and her writing on the conflict diamond industry was cited on Wikipedia. Other memorable experiences include helping launch California’s first statewide down-ballot progressive voter guide in 2020, documenting the first hackathon held in Haiti, and live tweeting a former president to an audience of millions. Previously, she was the Founder and CEO of civic tech startup Thicket Labs, which served communities around the world through collaborative learning, decision making, and innovation programs in areas including healthcare, education, and governance.

Deepthi also releases music as a solo artist under the name Dark Spring Thunder and is one half of Society of the Wing and Scale along with Disparition. She has performed and installed sound and video design work for live performance at venues in San Francisco, Oakland, and New York. She recently completed her first novel called Lions Among Us and is currently seeking literary representation.

Her work has been written about in USA Today, Fast Company, and The Chronicle of Philanthropy. She has written for numerous publications and media outlets including San Francisco's KQED Public Media, Stanford Social Innovation Review, and the International Documentary Association. Featured speaking and facilitation engagements include AIGA, SXSW Interactive, the Media Studies School and Parsons School of Design at the New School, the Design Gym, Magnum Foundation, and the National Academy of Medicine.

Deepthi holds an M.A. in Media Studies from The New School, a B.A. in English from San Jose State University, is certified in finance and accounting, data analysis and management, and is credentialed in teaching English as a foreign language. She is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a member of the International Association of Facilitators (IAF).